Get out your School Supplies paper from Friday’s lesson.
If you weren’t here, see me.
If you lost it, get out a blank sheet of paper.
A Trip Around the World
 On the back of your school supplies paper, you will
find five empty charts.
 As we learn about the countries listed, please judge
their freedoms by adding a bar to each category.
In most countries, a
CONSTITUTION
is the basic document of
citizenship.
A
constitution. . .
 Tells what a country’s values are
 Tells how a country’s government operates
 Tells what rights and responsibilities a
country’s citizens have
Introducing. . .
Region: Asia
Capital City: New Delhi
Language: Hindi & English
Population: 1.17 billion
Area: 3.29 million sq miles
An old palace known as the Taj Mahal
India has one of the
longest
constitutions in the
modern world.
This is only the Preamble! There are 444
articles in the Constitution of India!
It lays out specific
rights, much like
the U.S.
Constitution.
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Speech
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of
speech…”
India’s Constitution says:
“All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and
expression;
Nothing…shall…prevent the State from making any law [that]
imposes reasonable restrictions on [this right] in the interests of
the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State,
friendly relations with foreign States, [or] public order, decency,
or morality…”
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of the Press
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom.. of the
press…”
India’s Constitution says:
“All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and
expression…”
 There is no separate “freedom of the press”
in India’s constitution.
 “Freedom of speech” works double duty!
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Religion
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
India’s Constitution says:
“Subject to public order, morality and health…all persons are
equally entitled to… the right freely to profess, practice, and
propagate religion.”
COMPARE IT!
Equality Under the Law
The United States Constitution says:
“No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.”
India’s Constitution says:
“The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law
or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.”
BUT WAIT!
India’s Constitution says:
“It shall be the duty of every citizen of India…to strive towards
excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so
that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and
achievement…”
The United States Constitution says:
x
 Should the United States amend its constitution to say what
India’s constitution says?
Introducing. . .
Region: Europe
Capital City: Berlin
Language: German
Population: 81.7 million
Area: 137,846 square miles
The large city of Frankfurt
The German National Team
(Soccer – they call it football!)
Germany is made
up of many states,
similar to the
United States.
Also like the United
States, Germany
has a constitution.
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Speech
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of
speech…”
Germany’s Constitution says:
“Every person shall have the right freely to express and
disseminate his opinions in speech, writing, and pictures and to
inform himself without hindrance from generally accessible
sources.”
“[This right] shall find [its] limits in the provisions of general
laws, in provisions for the protection of young persons, and in
the right to personal honor.”
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of the Press
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom.. of the
press…”
Germany’s Constitution says:
“Freedom of the press and freedom of reporting by means of broadcasts
and films shall be guaranteed. There shall be no censorship.
[This right] shall find [its] limits in the provisions of general laws, in
provisions for the protection of young persons, and in the right to
personal honor.
Whoever abuses the freedom of expression, in particular the freedom of
the press …in order to combat the free democratic basic order shall
forfeit [this] basic right.”
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Religion
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Germany’s Constitution says:
“Freedom of faith and of conscience, and freedom to profess
a religious or philosophical creed, shall be inviolable. The
undisturbed practice of religion shall be guaranteed.”
COMPARE IT!
Equality Under the Law
The United States Constitution says:
“No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.”
Germany’s Constitution says:
“All persons shall be equal before the law.”
BUT WAIT!
Germany’s Constitution says:
“Men and women shall have equal rights. The state shall
promote the actual implementation of equal rights for women
and men and take steps to eliminate disadvantages that now
exist.”
The United States Constitution says:
x
 Should the United States amend its constitution
to say what Germany’s constitution says?
Introducing. . .
Region: South America
Capital City: Brasilia
Language: Portugese
Population: 201 million
Area: 3.29 million sq miles
Rio de Janiero, Brazil
One
Brazil’s
of these
constitution
is to get
states
rid ofthat
poverty
Braziland
has
reduce
four fundamental
social and
regional
goals…
inequalities.
The Brazilian
constitution
Citizens celebrate a
win on election day
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Speech
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of
speech…”
Brazil’s Constitution says:
“…the expression of thought is free, anonymity being forbidden…”
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of the Press
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom.. of the
press…”
Brazil’s Constitution says:
“…the expression of thought is free, anonymity being forbidden…”
 Like in India, there is no separate “freedom
of the press” in Brazil’s constitution.
 “Freedom of speech” works double duty!
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Religion
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Brazil’s Constitution says:
“Freedom of conscience and of belief is inviolable, the free
exercise of religious cults being ensured and, under the
terms of the law, the protection of places of worship and
their rites being guaranteed…”
COMPARE IT!
Equality Under the Law
The United States Constitution says:
“No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.”
Brazil’s Constitution says:
“All persons are equal before the law, without any distinction
whatsoever…”
BUT WAIT!
Brazil’s Constitution says:
“Electoral enrollment and voting are mandatory for persons over
eighteen years of age [and] optional for: a) the illiterate; b) those
over seventy years of age; c) those over sixteen and under
eighteen years of age.”
The United States Constitution says:
“The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years
of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged…”
 Should the United States amend its constitution to say what
Brazil’s constitution says?
Introducing. . .
Region: Middle East
Capital City: Tehran
Language: Persian & Turkic
Population: 67 million
Area: 1.6 million sq miles
Traditional Persian costumes
Iran’s constitution
states that the
Qur’an, or holy book
of Islam, is the
center of rule in Iran.
Iranians have the
right to vote, just
like we do here in
the United States.
These
include
Iran’svalues
constitution
things
like wearing
gives citizens
the
modest
clothes, to
not
responsibility
drinking
and
promotealcohol,
the values
other
ofobserving
the Islamic
faith.
religious rules.
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Speech
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of
speech…”
Iran’s Constitution says:
 Iran’s constitution does not say anything about
individual people having freedom of speech
 “Freedom of the press” must do double-duty…
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of the Press
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom.. of the
press…”
Iran’s Constitution says:
“Publications and the press have freedom of expression except when
it is where there is infringement of the basic tenets of Islam or public
rights. In this respect detailed provisions will be laid down by law.”
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Religion
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Iran’s Constitution says:
“The official religion of Iran is Islam … and this principle will
remain eternally immutable.”
“Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians are the only
recognized religious minorities, who, within the limits of the law,
are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies…”
COMPARE IT!
Equality Under the Law
The United States Constitution says:
“No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.”
Iran’s Constitution says:
“All citizens of the country, both men and women, equally enjoy
the protection of the law…”
BUT WAIT!
Iran’s Constitution says:
“The preservation of the environment … is regarded as a public
duty in the Islamic Republic. Economic and other activities that
inevitably involve pollution of the environment or cause irreparable
damage to it are therefore forbidden.”
The United States Constitution says:
x
 Should the United States amend its constitution to say what
Iran’s constitution says?
Introducing. . .
Region: Africa
Capital City: Accra
Language: English & Akan
Population: 23 million
Area: 238,538 square miles
Ghana was the first
African country
south of the Sahara
desert to gain its
freedom.
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Speech
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of
speech…”
Ghana’s Constitution says:
“All persons shall have the right to…freedom of speech and
expression…
[But the government may pass laws that are] reasonably required for
the purpose of safeguarding the people of Ghana against the
teaching … of a doctrine which … encourages disrespect for the
nationhood of Ghana, the national symbols and emblems, or incites
hatred against other members of the community …
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of the Press
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom.. of the
press…”
Ghana’s Constitution says:
“All persons shall have the right to freedom of speech and
expression, which shall include freedom of the press and other
media…”
 The same restrictions for freedom of speech
also apply to freedom of the press
COMPARE IT!
Freedom of Religion
The United States Constitution says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Ghana’s Constitution says:
“All persons shall have the right to freedom to practice any
religion and to manifest such practice…”
COMPARE IT!
Equality Under the Law
The United States Constitution says:
“No State shall…deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.”
Ghana’s Constitution says:
“All persons shall be equal before the law.”
BUT WAIT!
Ghana’s Constitution says:
“All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities
and facilities and … basic education shall be free, compulsory and
available to all.”
The United States Constitution says:
x
 Should the United States amend its constitution to say what
Ghana’s constitution says?
Please pick up the activity
worksheet from the back
cart. You may work on it
together.